Ready
by Robin Red R
Summary: Wally and Dick have been going out for a month, but Wally wants to keep their relationship a secret from the team, his school, and his parents. At least for the time being. So instead, he starts going out with a certain "Rachelle" to get around the problem, but... it might not be as easy as that. For better or for worse. [Wally/Dick] Birdflash, with a cross-dressing!Robin.
1. No

**Title: **Ready

**Rating: **T

**Warning: **Slash (Boy/boy), lots 'cussing, suggestive themes, and a cross-dressing kink. (Actually, there will be quite a few kinks in here ;D )

**Summary: **Wally and Dick have been going out for a month now, but Wally wants to keep their relationship a secret from the team, his school, and his parents for the time being. So, instead, he starts going out with a certain 'Rachelle' to get around the problem. Birdflash, with a cross-dressing Robin.

**Author's Note: **Request from xTeionx… Hope you like it! :) It was supposed to be a one-shot, but I just _really_ took to the idea so it'll be in at least three parts XD Don't forget to review! ^^

**Disclaimer: **Have you guys heard what CN decided to do? Put YJ on hiatus again for another three months after we got only two new eps? Someone shoot me right now. At least I got the new episode from Itunes "Before the Dawn", and I have to say, that was probably my favorite episode yet of Season 2. No, I don't own Young Justice.

* * *

**Ready – Part I: "No"**

**~x~**

_{Gotham City, Wayne Manor,_

_May 22, 21:16 EDT}_

"I, um… don't think so…No..." Wally's voice was hesitant; he was not quite sure of his answer. He glanced down at his hands, unable to meet Dick's bright blue gaze boring into him.

"No?" The younger boy's voice rose up at the end of that short syllable, signifying a question. Perhaps even hoping for a different answer, Wally couldn't be sure. The redhead sighed, their eyes meeting briefly in the near-darkness.

"No," he repeated firmly. Guilt twisted his heart as an almost-unnoticeable sliver of hurt crossed Dick's gaze. It pained him inside every time Dick got hurt… and it hurt a thousand times more when he knew _he _was the reason behind that hurt. God, that was the last thing he'd ever wanted, but right now he was sure of his answer, no matter the pain it caused both of them. "I…I'm sorry, I'm just not…"

"That's okay, Walls, I understand." Dick's voice was light and unruffled, and if Wally didn't know any better he'd think it really _was_ 'okay' with him. "Text me when you get home, 'kay?"

Today was their one-month anniversary. One month… To Wally, it seemed both an eternity and a ridiculously short time. One month ago, to the very day, Dick had confronted Wally in the silent, dark halls of Mount Justice (_"I've seen the way you look at me, Wally. Watching me, all the time, like I'm some kind of unattainable sweet on the top shelf of the candy store.")_. One month ago Wally had been reduced to a pile of blubbering, blushing mush, unable to answer Dick's questions (_"I…I…you wouldn't understand… I don't… either…")_. One month ago Wally had involuntarily stolen his best friend's first kiss (_"I'm your best bro, KF. I'm sure whatever it is you can tell me. And believe me when I say I'm probably not as clueless as you might thi—mmff…") _And one month ago Wally had asked Dick out, stuttering and nervous, but grinning like a love-sick idiot because he already knew the answer from the look in those blue eyes (_"W-will you be my boyfriend, Mr. Richard John Grayson?") _One month had passed in pure bliss… except for this one question which had hung over their heads like an ill-omened shadow: What to share with and what to keep secret from the rest of the world?

Just a few minutes earlier, Dick had reluctantly led Wally to the front door of the Wayne Manor. They'd stood next to each other, neither wanting to initiate the 'goodnight' and 'goodbye', even though they went through this same routine every night. Their anniversary evening together had been perfect, and neither wanted it to end. Dick had brought that up then, casually, after they'd kissed on the doorstep, hidden away from prying eyes by the overlapping shadows: "Do you want to tell them about… us, tomorrow?"

Which brings us back to the present time, where a guilt-ridden Wally sighed as he slipped the red goggles over his eyes to protect them from the wind, wondering if he should go back and tell Dick 'yes' instead of 'no'. He turned, hesitated, but then only raised a hand in a wave to the dark silhouette of his boyfriend on the steps of the Manor. He shot off into the night in a blur of smudged color.

The guilt still twisted in the depths of his stomach, bringing a bitter taste to his mouth as he ran. Dick didn't deserve this… he didn't deserve a boyfriend who was such a fucking coward that he couldn't even bring himself to hold his hand in public… He didn't deserve someone who made him feel unappreciated every time they went out to a movie as 'just friends'. Dick deserved someone better… Wally's red boots slipped on some murky spilt oil on the highway, but he regained his balance after a few steps.

He wished he could. He wished he had the nerve to stand in front of his parents and hold Dick's hand, unfazed by their disgusted looks which he was sure to receive. He wished he had the guts to walk out of school each day and be greeted by a blue-eyed wonder, to kiss him hello on the sidewalk in full view of everyone, and not give a shit. He wished he didn't care about what the other members of his team or the League would think of him. But he just wasn't ready yet.

He'd have to come up with some other solution… either that, or he'd have to suck it up and get over his cowardice. Honestly, the first option appealed more to him. _You're an idiot. A real, good for nothing idiot. I really don't get what Dick could ever have seen in you. _

However, a slight smile made its way to his face as an idea came to him, and by the time he had arrived at Aunt Iris and Uncle Barry's front door, it had morphed into a dangerous grin. Oh yes, when Wally West came up with a good idea, then the world better watch out. His previous uncharacteristically depressing and angsty thoughts flew from his mind as he pulled out his phone to text Dick that he had gotten home safely, just like he'd promised.

* * *

_{Gotham City, Wayne Manor,_

_May 23, 08:03 EDT}_

"No." This time, it was Dick's turn to say 'no', but the situation now was quite different from the one of last night.

"C'mon, Dick, it'll be fun!" Wally argued, tilting his boyfriend's chin towards him so they could look each other in the eye. "Please?" Dick sighed, closing his eyes so as to not get lost in the pools of pleading green that gazed down at him.

"No, Wally. That's just ridiculous!" He easily evaded the kiss Wally was trying to give him as a bribe. The redhead huffed, crossing his arms with that deadly determined look in his eye which Dick both loved and dreaded.

"Look, I've been thinking about this, and I really think it's the only way right now. Dick, I just want this thing to work out for us, I really do. I'm so sorry that I'm being a horrible boyfriend," he ignored Dick's protests at that, "so I'm trying to make it up to you. Can't we please just give it a shot? Just for… just for now at least. Until I'm—"

"Until you're ready, yeah I know." Dick was quiet, regarding Wally's eagerly expectant face with an unreadable expression. Inwardly, he wasn't sure if he should burst out laughing, get offended, or give Wally a hug for his efforts. Because really; making him dress up as a _girl_ just so they could go out in public together? What kind of a ridiculous idea was that? Oh yeah; a typical Wally idea.

Dick knew the internal conflict Wally struggled with through. He knew that Wally's parents were strictly religious and frowned upon anything less than heterosexual behavior. He knew that the kids in Wally's school and community were rather close-minded, living in Kansas as he did. It was only natural for Wally to be afraid of their reactions, and to want to hide his bisexuality and his boyfriend from them. And Dick understood, of course he did. He wished he could say he didn't mind it either, but that wasn't quite the truth. He didn't blame Wally for anything, that wasn't it. If anything, he blamed the fucking narrow-minded idiots who somehow missed the turning of the century. But there was a twinge deep in his heart whenever Wally kept a careful, almost exaggerated distance from him each time they left the security of the house.

The younger boy sighed, leaning back against the pillows of the couch he was currently sitting on. Maybe it _would_ be nice to go on a real date with him, to feel Wally's warm comforting hand wrapped around his own, to kiss him without having to look around surreptitiously beforehand…

"F_iii_ne…" he conceded, giving Wally a reproachable look. "But I'm not letting you go out shopping by yourself." Wally pumped a fist up in the air in victory, looking like he'd just won the lottery.

"Yes! Can we go now? Please? I can run us to that new mall that just opened in New Carthage, it's just a couple miles away and we'll be back by this evening and there's that movie, what's it called, playing tonight so maybe we can go see that too or whatever you want to do because I'll do whatever you want, 'cause you're just awesome like that and thank you," he blabbed excitedly, jumping from the sofa and pacing about. Dick followed him with his eyes, an amused look on his face.

"You just can't wait to see me in a skirt, can you?"

"Well, hell yeah! You'll make a fucking hot girl, that's all I can say. I mean, you're a fucking hot guy already, but still." Dick burst out laughing, and refrained from answering. He stood up from the couch, grabbed his denim jacket, and then made his way down the hall to the old grandfather clock at the end of it.

"Where are you going now?" asked Wally, following close behind.

"Bruce always keeps a trunk full of stuff for last minute disguises down in the Batcave," Dick replied, taping in the secret code and stepping confidently into the elevator that brought them deep under the foundations of the Wayne Manor. They walked down the eerily quiet corridor, the unnatural white light illuminating the ever present mist that floated about, giving the whole place a futuristic and queer atmosphere.

Dick unlocked the said trunk, rummaging through the collection of fake mustaches, wigs, old patched coats, hats and more.

"But… why?" pressed Wally, watching him from the side.

"Because, won't it be a little odd if two _boys_ go in there trying on _girl _clothes?" Dick retorted, pulling out the desired wig from the bottom of the pile. He glanced at himself in the mirror as he set the mop of dark brown, shoulder-length hair on his head, and then swept it up into a messy bun, letting a few strands hang down to frame his face. He set the characteristic dark glasses on his nose, and shrugged the tight-fitting jacket on. Along with his skinny jeans and slender build, he could pass for a tomboyish girl already.

He turned to the redhead, setting his hands on his hips and raising an eyebrow. Wally just smirked, leaning in to steal a quick kiss.

"Let's go then, beautiful."

* * *

_{New Carthage Shopping Mall,_

_May 23, 08:33 EDT}_

"What about this one?" Wally suggested, holding up a dark green dress with a red geometrical pattern along its hem.

"No, dude, you have the most bizarre taste ever. I'll look like a Christmas decoration in that thing," Dick retorted, yanking the dress out of Wally's hands and shoving it rather roughly back into its place.

"Yeah, well that's basically what you've said about the last _fifty_ ones I've suggested! Make up your mind!" huffed Wally. Dick just rubbed his temples with two fingers.

"Do I have to—"

"Yes! Rob, don't back out now! Come on, you'll be the most cruel tease in the history of teasers if you don't go through with this after you promised me." Wally waved his arms around wildly to prove his point, and accidentally hit his knuckles on the edge of a clothes rack. He yelped, and then sucked on his injured finger.

"You know, I could just get some normal shorts and a tee-shirt, like ninety percent of all teenage girls," grumbled Dick, grabbing Wally's hand and rubbing the pad of his thumb over it soothingly. "I don't need to wear a dress…"

Wally then indignantly launched on a long long explanation of why Dick _has _to wear a girls outfit, because he'll look really sexy and cute, and so on and so forth. He didn't notice the furrowing of Dick's brows the longer he talked.

"You know, if you're so eager to change my gender, then why don't you just go get yourself a _girl_friend since I'm obviously not good enough," snapped Dick suddenly, dropping Wally's hand and stalking angrily away from the shocked speedster. It took Wally a moment to realize why Dick was upset. He caught up quickly with the retreating figure, spinning him around and grabbing Dick by the shoulders.

"Dick? That's not what I mean, not at all. You should know that! You're my boyfriend, and you're the only one that I want, and… I don't want you to ever change. Even if you'll look hot in a dress, you're just perfect the way you are." Dick glared at him, but it melted soon enough into a chuckle.

"Sheesh dude, will you stop becoming such a sap every five minutes?" he teased, wriggling out of Wally's grasp. "Fine. Let my superior taste in picking out clothes do the rest," he said, his eyes scanning over the racks of multi-colored dresses. He wasn't Bruce Wayne's son, _and_ raised by Alfred, for nothing. Wally, however, was skeptical.

"Dude, you're going to find something totally modest with, like, no skin showing, and all ugly," he grumbled. Dick ignored him, continuing his meandering through the aisles.

"Aha," he exclaimed, prowling over to a dress that had caught his eye. He pulled it out with a flourish, turning and showing it to Wally. The speedster's eyes widened. It was an off-the shoulder dress; a low cut neckline that would leave the wearer's shoulder bare. It looked like a tight fit, cut to accentuate each and every curve, and barely reaching mid-thigh. A loose, wide, black belt wrapped around the waist completed the look. But that which was most surprising about it was the color; it matched Dick's eyes to a T. It was a dark, cerulean blue, with tones of indigo and turquoise in it depending on how the light hit it. Okay, it didn't _quite_ match Dick's eyes; no fabric could impeccably re-create those gorgeous shifting hues of blue that constituted Dick's eye color. But it was close enough; close enough that it would bring out beautiful colors in Dick's eyes and skin and hair that Wally didn't even know existed. All in all, it was perfect.

Dick cackled lightly at his dumb-struck expression, flouncing off towards the dressing rooms. When Wally made to follow him, however, Dick set a hand to his chest and pushed him backwards.

"_Girls_ only, Walls. You'll see me soon enough, I imagine." And Wally was left pacing grumpily in front of the closed door of the women's dressing room while he waited for Dick to finish trying it on.

"So? Does it fit?" he asked the minute the door opened again.

"Perfectly," answered Dick, slinging the dress over his arm. "You still going to complain about my taste in clothes?"

"Nope," replied Wally promptly, laughing. "Okay, now we're going to the cosmetics section. Let's see if your taste in makeup is as good," he announced, grabbing Dick's arm and dragging him off. Dick sighed in defeat, running his fingers through his fake-hair.

It took them all of four hours to finish shopping. Wally felt like they were turning into veritable girls now. Along with the dress, they had bought Dick some jean shorts (mini-shorts, on Wally's insistence), black high-heeled boots that reached to his knee, a push-up bra to give the impression of some kind of bosom , seeing as Dick was really too flat to pull it off if he wore a tight fitting shirt, several tank-tops, a razor to shave his legs and underarms, jewelry, a whole stack of cosmetics; mascara, blush, eyeliner, eye shadow, lip-gloss, make-up remover, etcetera…

Loaded down with bags, they finally stumbled back through the front door of the Wayne Manor, starving and exhausted. Wally couldn't believe it was still only just about one o'clock; it felt like it should be time for bed. They plopped down on Dick's comforter, gobbled down the stack of sandwiches Alfred sent up to them, and played a round of Mario Kart to relax.

"Hey, you wanna come over to my place now? You know… to introduce you to Uncle Barry and Aunt I?" Wally suggested.

"Hmm… " Dick looked up from the screen, biting back a yawn. He was really tired now; shopping really takes something out of you he'd realized. He certainly didn't have the seemingly boundless energy that his speedster boyfriend did. Tomorrow, however, would be Sunday. He'd already finished all his homework Friday night so he'd have the weekend free to spend with Wally… though he had not expected it to be spent going out clothes shopping. Despite trying to hide it, a small sliver of excitement found its way into his mind about the prospect of putting on the dress and the make-up. He wanted to see Wally's face when he first laid eyes on him… and he wanted to see to what lengths he could go to pull it off. Starting with fooling Wally's aunt and uncle. "How about tomorrow? Come over sometime in the early afternoon, and you can run us to your place, okay?"

"Sounds good," murmured Wally. They wasted the rest of the day playing video games, interspersed with a making out session, and more eating on Wally's part until it was time for Robin to go on patrol. Wally had offered to help him out with that too, but Batman had forbidden him. All three of them knew that when Kid Flash joined Robin on patrol, then there was hardly any patrolling that happened.

Wally went to sleep that night, his dreams full of images of his boyfriend in skirts and high-heels, feeling slightly more guilt-free than he had in a long time.

* * *

_{Gotham City, Wayne Manor,_

_May 24, 12:05 EDT}_

Five past noon counts as 'early afternoon', right? Well, to a speedster it would just have to work. Wally speed-knocked two dozen times on the grand wooden door of the Wayne Manor, except they blurred together so it was almost impossible to distinguish them as separate beats. Dick had asked him several times why he didn't just 'use the doorbell like every other normal person' but Wally knew that with _this_ method, Alfred would always know exactly who it was without having to ask. No other human can knock on a door at ten times per second. Hello, Fastest Boy Alive here?

"Ah, good afternoon Master Wallace," greeted the elderly butler. He stepped aside to let Wally in. Apparently, to the members of the Bat family, five past noon counted as 'afternoon' as well. One more thing to put on his list of things he and Dick had in common. "Master Richard is just getting ready in his room, he'll be down in a few minutes," Alfred added, with a little twinkle in his eyes.

Wally thanked him and made to run up the stairs, but Alfred detained him with a plate of cookies. Seriously, the man was almost as good of a ninja as Robin. Where had that plate of cookies come from? Wally could have sworn his hands had been empty a second ago.

As a result, he almost missed Dick's appearance at the top of the staircase. When he did, Wally had to practically pick his jaw up from the floor where it had fallen open in surprise. Dick was wearing a dress. _The _dress. He was wearing either a really realistic wig, or perfectly blended extensions, styled in a long-ish pixie cut and parted on the side of his head so his bangs fell sideways across his forehead to partly conceal his eyes. Stands hanging over his ears framed his face perfectly, somehow giving it just that right touch. He was standing on the landing of the spiral staircase, his hand on his cocked hip and an eyebrow raised as he beheld Wally's shocked appearance.

"Pretty convincing, eh?" he asked rhetorically, pirouetting once so the dress flared out displaying his bare legs and high-heels. Alfred just smiled silently to himself, and retreated back into the kitchen with the half-finished plate of cookies which Wally had abandoned. The speedster shook himself mentally to snap out of his daze. He wolf-whistled instead, and met Dick at the bottom of the stairs. The guy could walk surprisingly easily in those high-heels… _Must be because of his incredible balance from all his acrobatic training,_ Wally mused.

"Jeeze, dude, you look amazing," he murmured, eyeing Dick's form appreciatively. Up close Wally could see the dusting of blush over his normally pale cheeks, the smoky dark border around his bright eyes, and the glisten on his lips. All in all, he looked perfectly irresistible. Especially when he winked at Wally in that teasing manner and sashayed to the front door before the redhead could lean in to kiss him hello. Yes, _sashayed. _

"I know," he replied smugly. Apparently the reluctance with which he had agreed to the plan yesterday had vanished to be replaced with pure cockiness. It was true; Dick looked stunning. But on the other hand, it was a little weird for Wally. Seeing his boyfriend look so feminine, so… _foreign_, was a bit unsettling. Sure Dick was as hot as Wally had imagined he would be, more so in fact, but a part of him wished his boyfriend would just go back to what he really looked like. Because it all looked kind of fake. What was he thinking? It _was _all fake. That was the whole point. Wally sighed internally.

"Alright, let's go," Dick announced, grabbing a little blue bag from the telephone table and slinging it over his shoulder.

"I hope you're not planning on leaving without letting me know first," came a deep voice from behind them. Wally let out a very manly-sounding squeak and spun around so fast his sneakers slipped on the polished hardwood floor.

"Oh, hey Bruce," Dick replied without a hitch, turning in a much more elegant manner than Wally before him. He probably knew his adoptive father had been there the whole time anyway. "I'm just heading over to Wally's." Bruce, of course, was already aware of Wally and Dick's relationship. It had never even crossed their minds to keep it a secret from him; who are you kidding, keeping a secret from the World's Greatest Detective _and_ the World's Most Overprotective Dad? Still, Wally was impressed when Bruce didn't even bat an eyelid as he took in Dick's new effeminate appearance.

"Are you his new girlfriend? He got over Richard pretty fast," the Batman replied with his usual expressionlessly cool demeanor. Wally stared at Bruce blankly. He couldn't tell if the Bats was making a joke (Joke? Batman? Same sentence?) or if it was a subtle warning. Yeah, he was going to go with the latter. Wally gulped. If he and Dick ever bro—_no_ he was not even going to think that. It wouldn't ever happen.

When he got no reply from either of them, Bruce just sighed. "Fine. Be back by ten," he stated, and turned on his heel to make his exit.

"A_aa_ctually," Dick called him back, dragging the word out imploringly, "I was wondering if I could stay the night? We," he glanced at Wally, "thought we could go see Wally's parents tomorrow, maybe…" Wally glared at him. They had never decided anything of the sort. But, he supposed they might as well give it a try, now that Dick mentioned it. Oh well, he'd think about that tomorrow. If Bruce allowed the sleepover, of course. Wally crossed his fingers behind his back in childish hope as the imposing Wayne patriarch eyed his ward for a long unblinking moment.

Bruce then heaved a sigh again and waved a hand as if to mean 'whatever'. "Don't use the front door, someone might see you," he advised curtly, then disappeared silently down the hallway without another word. Wally let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"Great, thanks Bruce!" called Dick happily, smirking at Wally. He grabbed the redhead's hand and led the way to where his R-Cycle was parked in a hidden alcove on the south-facing side of the Manor. Despite the fact that Wally was a speedster and could run them down to Central in ten minutes flat, they always took the longer ride on the R-Cycle. They both loved riding the motorcycle together; Wally loved the exhilaration (Robin rode the bike like a bucking bronco…), which was a lot like when he ran himself but different in a thrilling way. Dick just loved being encased tightly in Wally's arms as they shot down the dark alleys, the wheels of the R-Cycle riding up the pavement because he cut the corners so tightly. It was always just another excuse to get close to each other.

Dick tossed Wally the spare helmet and slipped a leg over the seat, scooting up so Wally could join him. Just before they slid quietly out of the shadows, the engine purring softly, they heard through the open door of the kitchen;

"Would you like a cookie, Master Bruce?"

**~x~**

* * *

**Author's Note: **I hope the going backwards and forwards in time at the beginning wasn't too confusing… please tell me if it was.

Dick's dress was loosely based off of this: i50. tinypic 11lpus7 .jpg (Seven spaces)

**Reviewers **get a** sample from Ch. 2! **Please, tell me what you **liked, didn't like, or think I need to work on** as that's the best kind of feedback I could get.

**Re-did the poll on my profile:**** Go vote (again, if you already did previously, as there are new choices)! **Thanks for all the support guys, as always, I love you ^^


	2. Not Yet

**Ready – Part 2: "Not Yet"**

**~x~**

* * *

_{Central City, The West-Allen Home_

_May 24, 15:45 EDT}_

'_Wally—(In case you come over while we're out)_

_Your uncle and I had to go run some errands; we should be back by 3:30. There are some sandwiches in the fridge, FYI._

_Aunt I. :)'_

The bright yellow sticky-note was tacked to the front door of Wally's uncle and aunt's house. The redhead cast a glance at his watch; true to speedster fashion, Barry and Iris were a quarter of an hour late already. He cracked a small smile, and glanced over at Dick who was climbing the short flight of steps behind him. Wally rummaged in his pockets for a few seconds before a horrible sinking feeling settled in his stomach.

"_Shit_," he said slowly, realization sinking in. "Dick, I think I forgot my keys…" Wally continued on his desperate yet futile search through all his various pockets, though he knew in the back of his mind that he'd left his stupid key bunch on his bedside table that morning. "Oh come on!" he exclaimed in frustration, turning around and glaring at the rows of neatly built houses lining the road to the left and right of him. "We could be stuck out here for another three hours before they come home, knowing my uncle," groaned Wally, running a hand through his fiery hair.

"Wally, sometimes I think you forget who I am," laughed Dick lightly behind him, accompanied by the sound of a soft mechanical click. The speedster turned around quickly, just in time to see Dick push the door open smoothly with his foot and pocket the little black lock-pick which never left his side.

"R_iii_ght… Boy Wonderful." Wally bit his lip to stop the grin threatening to break over his face as he followed Dick into the house. A simple locked door posed no problem for the little hacker. Recalling Iris's last words on her note, the speedster made a bee-line for the fridge and sighed in relief when he pulled out the stack of neatly folded ham sandwiches. Ah, how good life could be when your sweet aunt was so foreseeing.

Grabbing one in each hand, and taking a large bite out of a third, Wally left the kitchen and searched for his vanished boyfriend. He found Dick in front of the full length mirror in the hallway, fixing his hair.

"Oh come on dude, just 'cause you're dressed like a girl doesn't mean you have to _act _like one too," Wally teased, biting into the second sandwich. Dick just winked at Wally's two-dimensional reflection in the mirror.

"You know you just want the excuse to look at my ass," he retorted, wiggling the said body part in the speedster's direction. Wally flushed a light pink, yet couldn't stop his eyes from raking over Dick's toned body, just like the Boy Wonder had predicted. Man, that dress didn't leave anything to the imagination, not that Wally minded. And Dick really did have a great ass.

Taking on a business-like attitude, Wally's boyfriend pulled a manila folder out of his shoulder bag and opened it up delicately, revealing the contents.

"I made myself a… new identity?" Dick explained, searching for the right words. It was hard enough having _two _vastly different identities… now he had to go and make another one just for this. The things he did for his boyfriend… Dick rolled his eyes fondly.

Wally took the folder wordlessly, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. _'Rachelle LaCroix' _was the name written on the fake birth certificate, printed in neat, official looking print. He turned it over in his hands, and then flipped swiftly through the counterfeit passport with the hand not clasping his sandwich. _Age:__ 14, __Sex__: Female, __Place of Birth__: Paris, France, _etc…

"Dude, you didn't have to go to this much trouble, I mean no one's going to find out, or care…" Wally pointed out, rather bemused. It wasn't like they were going to go travel outside the country, right? Dick just laughed softly, in that certain way which was somewhere in between affectionate and teasing, as he took the documents back from Wally's fingers.

"Oh no, no one's going to _find out, _are you kidding_._ I was just doing it for some forgery practice." Dick said that in such a matter-of-fact tone that Wally half-choked on his sandwich. He eyed the folder Dick was stashing back into his little bag suspiciously. Forgery practice, huh? And he was supposed to be the _justice-supporter _here?

"Well, looks pretty damn authentic to me," was all Wally ended up saying.

"Mhmm, it is. Only the closest scrutiny and top-level technology could identify it as a fake," Dick answered smugly, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning a hip against the wall. Wally just puffed out a breath, something like a sigh of exasperation condescending Dick's conceitedness, or rather a breath of hidden admiration for his boyfriend's talents.

"Come here, _Rachelle,_" he murmured in a low voice, stretching out a hand and beckoning the brunet forward. He'd never admit it out loud, but he secretly loved it when Dick got on his high and mighty horse and paraded around in that half innocent self-assuredness of his. Besides, they hadn't kissed _properly _since two days ago, on their month anniversary. Just soft feathery-light ones since then that made Wally's heart flutter like a school girl's, but those didn't really count. It was almost as if they'd started up new again, new to the relationship. Hey, it had been a month. He was allowed to indulge.

Dick's lips twitched into a smirk as he stepped up to Wally, his face lifting so they could look into each other's eyes. Wally knew how much Dick detested his small size; it peeved him to no ends when someone made fun of how short he was (except when it was Wally, because then Robin only _pretended_). Honestly, Wally thought he was perfect. Especially perfect for cuddling, because the crest of his head fit like a snug puzzle piece under Wally's chin. Any taller and it wouldn't work, so Wally was glad for that.

Wally slinked an arm around Dick's slender waist, effectively pulling him closer. He watched as Dick's blue eyes fluttered close, standing up on his tip toes to connect with Wally's lips which would meet him half way. Except… Wally didn't. He stood as if frozen, fighting an inner battle. When Dick realized Wally hadn't leaned in to close the distance between them, his eyes snapped open and he eyed the speedster with a glimmer of worry in his bright eyes.

The fact was, Wally couldn't bring himself to kiss Dick right now. Not when he was looking like… like _this. _Because up close he could _smell _the choking scent of blush and perfume and scented lip-gloss, he could _see _the faint edges to the makeup (Dick was perhaps not the most skilled at putting it on himself, seeing as he had stubbornly refused Alfred's help), and he could almost _taste _the difference with the Dick that he knew. And it kind of turned him off. That surprised him a whole lot; he knew he was bi, he'd already established that with himself. Girls were hot, guys were hot too, and Dick was hottest of them all. So why did it send a feeling akin to _aversion _through him when he thought about kissing a female version of Dick?

"I- I'm sorry," he blundered, watching with dread as the worry in Dick's eyes turned first to surprise, then hurt. He realized the ridiculousness of his situation now; here he was, refusing to kiss Dick and starting a sentence off with 'I'm sorry'. He needed to fix this before Dick got the wrong idea.

"It's just… you look so different. I can't…" Wally scowled and scratched his head, wishing for the millionth time that he were more eloquent with his words. Dick raised a finely drawn eyebrow in disbelief, but his voice when he spoke was not revelatory of any emotion in particular. Damn those Bats with their perfectly schooled poker faces.

"You mean you'd rather kiss me without," he waved a hand vaguely over his torso to indicate the makeup and the dress, "all this?"

"Dude." Where was the trust? Where was the confidence? Dick wasn't seriously still worrying about _that _was he?

"How many times do I have to tell you, bird brain? You're my _boy_friend. The best one in the world, actually. Now stop worrying about my sexuality; I can assure you I'm more than happy where I am now." Wally reached up and tilted Dick's chin towards him, his fingers tracing the smooth line of the younger boy's jaw. He smiled when he beheld the way Dick's eyes seemed to glow brighter, his worries put to rest at the time being. "Now, that depends on what you mean by 'all this'," Wally murmured provocatively as he brought their lips together finally, his hands instinctively curling into Dick's shoulders to pull him flush with Wally's body.

They moved together with the harmony that had come natural to them since the very first kiss, each movement perfectly timed like a choreographed production. Dick's lip gloss was sticky and coated his own lips with an unpleasant sensation, and when he breathed in through his nose Wally could smell the clogging scent of makeup, but the kiss itself made up for it so Wally ignored his discomfort. Dick's comparatively small hands tugged at the hem of Wally's yellow shirt, and the cool air that met bare skin made the redhead shiver. His hands moved from Dick's cheek, to his shoulders, to his back, to his ass, where he grabbed hold, smirking into the kiss. Dick just let out a mumbled grunt somewhere between a protest and a moan, pressing back greedily with his skilled lips. They were lost in their own little world, and nothing could disturb them here…

"Alright that's it; I'm never letting you drive my car again. How do you even get lost in your _own_ city?" Iris's amused-exasperated voice, muffled by the thick front door, interrupted the couple.

"You said to turn left!" Barry answered her with fake indignity. There came the metallic jingle of keys.

"Exactly; you turned right."

"Yeah well, that's my… _other _left," replied Barry, chuckling good-naturedly. Iris simply opened the door, seeing as it had remained unlocked from when Dick had broken in, while Barry was still struggling with the key chain.

"Oh hello Wally, I figured you might be coming over. Hmm, are we interrupting something?" greeted Iris with a smile when she spied the two boys (though what she _actually _saw was one boy and one girl), awkwardly still clasped in each other's arms. Dick had tried to pull away from the kiss the minute he had heard Iris's voice; he was so used to jumping away from Wally's embrace the minute someone came near. Wally, however, had felt his boyfriend tense up before he even heard Iris's step outside, and had retaliated by clutching Dick tightly to his body so he couldn't move. His heart beat fast, faster even than his normal rate, but he forced himself to calm down. It was just his aunt and uncle… Dick was the master of disguise… no one was going to figure it out…

"Hey kiddo, who's this?" hailed Barry as he followed his wife in, sending Dick a warm smile. He stooped to tug off his shoes and dropped them haphazardly in front of the door, unaware of Iris's pointed look.

"Um… Aunt Iris, Uncle Barry, this is… Rachel… she's from France…" Wally mumbled, stuttering and blushing, rubbing his neck in embarrassment.

"_Enchant__é__e," _answered Dick in flawless, accent-less French. With unaccustomed forwardness (_Wally _was usually the touchy-feely one), Dick stepped up to them and kissed a pleasantly surprised Iris on both cheeks in the typical French 'bisou', then repeated the process with Barry. Wally watched their faces carefully, but Iris just smiled and Barry looked flustered; there seemed to be no recognition. It all seemed painfully obvious to Wally though. How could they not notice? Didn't they see the way Dick's body moved, with that characteristically beautiful, natural grace? Didn't they catch the involuntary little hand gestures, or the smile, or the unique blue of his eyes? Couldn't they see right through his disguise? Or maybe they just didn't observe Dick in as much detail as Wally did.

"Are you Wally's—" Barry started.

"Girlfriend? Yes. I work at the Starbucks just down the road from Keystone City High— that's where we met. We've been going out for a month now," Dick all but cut him off. Wally stared bug eyed at him; Dick's voice was pitched differently with a light French accent, making it unrecognizable. (Okay, he was definitively going to make Dick speak to him in a French accent more often. That was _sexy. _How did Dick know French anyway? Well, Wally had stopped being surprised long ago each time he discovered yet another of Dick's hidden talents, seeing as there was quite a collection.) But come on, a Starbucks in front of school? How cliché was that? At least the way Dick said it made it sound plausible enough. Wally wondered if he had thought them up a complete backstory in advance or if Dick had just come up with this on the spur of the moment. Wally snapped out of his musings when he realized he should probably say something now to back up Dick's statement.

"A month, yeah. I… we wanted you to meet each other because, well… we might be together for _quite_ a while yet," Wally added, glancing down and exchanging a smile with his boyfriend. He relished the almost indiscernible blush that dusted the smooth cheeks at his words. Dick gave him a look that clearly said 'you're such a sap, but I love you anyway' and Wally sidled closer to the younger boy, almost forgetting his aunt and uncle's presence.

"Oh how _sweet_!" cooed Iris loudly, walking up to the two and squeezing Wally's shoulder with that expression all mothers adorn when they realize their babies are growing up. Eww. Not in front of Dick, please not in front of Dick.

Wally glanced from Iris's soft green eyes, to Barry's friendly blue ones, and something lodged painfully in his throat. He swallowed a few times, opened his mouth to speak, yet faltered again. He shot a glance at Dick who was trying to inconspicuously remove his high-heeled boots. The poor guy was probably getting really uncomfortable. Hell, Wally would be too if he had to walk around on three-inch heels for hours on end. How did girls manage to wear those things every day anyway? Wally chewed his lip thoughtfully, watching as Barry and Iris quickly put the groceries away, Barry going back and forth from the car to the kitchen as he followed Iris's orders. Forced to move at a _normal_ human pace because 'Rachel' presumably didn't know his superhero identity. Something snapped inside him, and Wally's eyebrows bunched together. He decided to throw caution to the wind and jump in head first, as was his technique with most things.

"Hey, Aunt Iris… Uncle B…" All three occupiers of the room turned to look at Wally expectantly. Wally locked eyes with Dick, who had tilted his head to the side while trying to read Wally's expression and decipher what he was going to say before he did. Well, this time it wasn't going to work, because Wally had not the slightest clue _himself_ what he was going to say. He then focused on a spot on the wall somewhere between his uncle and aunt's shoulders.

"What would you say if I…wentoutwithaguy?" Wally blurted in a rush. He winced, feeling his heart beat fast, the pulse ringing in his ears. He was sure his face was lit up like a torch right now… it sure felt like it. He could sense Dick's eyes boring silently into him, and he stoutly refused to look at his boyfriend.

Iris and Barry had matching looks of surprise and confusion painted on their faces. Iris glanced from 'Rachel' to Wally a moment, eyebrows furrowing. Barry just stared at his nephew, still processing the question.

"Why, what do you think we'd say?" replied Iris finally before the prolonged silence could stretch out into 'awkward'. "Of course we wouldn't mind; you're free to date whoever you wish, Wally, no matter the gender." She paused, eyes sweeping over Dick again. "You know we're not the type to judge." Wally chewed furiously on his lip, still boring a hole into the wall with the same intensity Superboy had while practicing his heat vision.

"Yeah, Kid, you can do whatever the hell you want as long as it's safe," seconded Barry with a wink, having recovered while Iris was speaking. Wally groaned, turning slightly to meet his uncle's twinkling gaze. Everyone was staring at him expectantly; apparently he was supposed to make some kind of follow up comment to his random question, especially with his supposed _girl_friend standing _right there. _

Wally glanced helplessly at Dick. The younger boy's lips curled into an encouraging smile, and it made Wally's heart glow. He didn't have anything to be afraid of, did he?

"Well, here's the thing…" Wally sucked in a breath noisily then stalked over to his boyfriend before his confidence could waver. Dick blinked at him once, just to be sure, then reached up and pulled the wig from his head. He ran a hand through his strands of black hair the wrong way to fluff them up again. Bending down, Dick pulled off the offending high heels, setting them neatly in the corner. When he straightened up again, he sent Iris and Barry a charming smile and a little innocent wave.

"Hi," he chirped, voice back to normal pitch. Understanding suddenly flashed across Iris's bewildered face and she grinned widely, stepping over to envelop Dick and Wally in a tight hug. Wally squirmed, embarrassed beyond belief, but secretly loving it at the same time. Iris's expression was just priceless. When she released them, Wally looked up carefully into Barry's face. He needn't have worried though; his uncle was smirking at them with a knowing look, arms crossed over his chest.

"Took you long enough," was all he said, ruffling Wally's hair with a hand good-naturedly. Wally wasn't quite sure what to make of that comment, so he settled for smiling widely and taking Dick's hand in his, shyly. The first time displaying _public_ affection for him. And strangely enough, he didn't feel any of the nervousness and self-consciousness he'd expected he would. It felt good, actually. So he leaned in and kissed Dick's nose just for good measure. He conveniently _did not hear _Iris's little squeak from the kitchen as he did that.

"Come, let's go upstairs," suggested Dick, twining his fingers with Wally's seeing as they were still holding hands. He sent the speedster an unreadable look out from lowered lashes, and it made Wally's spine tingle; Dick had the most ridiculously effective bedroom eyes. Wally didn't need to be told twice.

The minute the door closed behind them with a definitive click, Wally turned Dick around by the shoulders roughly, guiding him backwards with a hand on his waist. The backs of Dick's knees hit the edge of the bed, and they collapsed on it together. Wally grinned at him mischievously.

"French…" he murmured, leaning in to peck Dick on the lips. The younger boy gave him a thoroughly confused look.

"What?"

"Speak French to me. It's totally hot," he clarified. He laughed when Dick rolled his eyes exaggeratedly, trying to push Wally off of him. So the redhead pinned Dick's hands to the bed, cocking an eyebrow expectantly.

"Well I dunno, what do you want me to say?" capitulated Dick without much of a fight, knowing Wally would bug him forever if he didn't.

"Where did you learn French anyway?" wondered Wally out-loud, looking down with a small smile at his multi-talented boyfriend.

"_Eh bien, être le fils de Bruce Wayne a ses avantages je peux avoir toutes sortes des tuteurs privés en français, espagnol, japonais ... _you name it_. C'est très pratique, tu sais, pour des missions dans des autres pays. La criminalité ne s'arrête pas aux frontières des États-Unis, malheureusement. D'ailleurs, il y avait un clown au cirque qui était française, et elle m'a enseigné un peu quand j'étais petit. __J'ai toujours aimé le français, c'est une si belle langue," _Dick rattled off with perfect fluidity and ease, a smirk growing on his face as he watched Wally's expression change.

"…I have no clue what you just said, but you really do need to speak French more often, Boy Wonderful," was all Wally managed to get out after a moment's pause. "_Je t'aime?"_ he added hopefully with an atrocious accent, digging into his stash of little to non-existent knowledge of French.

"I said; I have private tutors in French, 'cause it comes in handy when you're on missions outside the States. And I also learned a bit from a French clown at the Circus," paraphrased Dick, though he doubted Wally really cared _what _he had said at this point anyway. "_Je t'aime encore plus,"_ he replied, freeing his hands from the loose grip Wally had on his wrists and instead wrapping them around Wally's neck.

The speedster suddenly got a crooked grin on his face, his eyes darkening as he gazed down at Dick, a new idea already forming in his head. He closed the small distance between them, gently yet intensely taking possession of Dick's smooth lips. Carefully controlling his motions, he licked and sucked and nipped at Dick's mouth, eyes closing in concentration. When the younger of the two parted his lips, expecting Wally to turn it into an open-mouthed kiss, he was surprised when Wally didn't react. In fact, the speedster seemed only to attack Dick's lips with renewed vigor, leaving him feeling rather bruised. When Wally finally pulled away, Dick eyed him in confusion, touching his lips with the tips of his fingers and feeling how swollen they were.

"What—"

"Shh…" Wally cut him off, leaning in to kiss him quiet. Dick got irritated, not pleased with being dominated in this way. However, Wally suddenly swiped a tongue across his cheek leaving behind a trail of shiny saliva, and Dick yelped in disgusted surprise. Licking was _so_ _not_ his thing.

"Eww, Wally, what the hell was that?" he snapped, pulling away from the redhead's embrace and scrubbing his cheek with his sleeve. "You just _licked _me. Not cool, dude."

"Sorry," said Wally with a lopsided grin which contradicted his words. "But I had to get that lipgloss and make-up off _somehow_." Dick froze in his angry rubbing of his cheek, raising an eyebrow at Wally in a mixture of disbelief and… well, he wasn't quite sure how to classify his reaction to _that. _

"So that's what you were doing," he said with feigned nonchalance, as more of a statement than a question. Wally nodded with an innocent smile and wink, wiping his mouth with his sleeve in a subconscious movement. "There is such a thing as make-up remover," groaned Dick, feeling much inclined to hide his face in his hands at the antics of his boyfriend. However, in a way, he was touched, even though Wally was being ridiculously gross.

There was a rush of air that blew Dick's bangs out of his face, and then Wally was back with the cream and pads in his hands. Before Dick even had the chance to open his mouth and say a word, Wally was assaulting his face with the make-up remover. He scrunched his face up in irritation, resigning himself temporarily to his fate.

He endured his face being patted for all of sixty seconds, and then he lost patience. With a well-aimed downward cut with his palm, he sent the tub in Wally's hand flying across the room where it hit the wall with a cracking sound.

"Hey! I wasn't done!" Wally made his indignation clear.

"Well you are now," retorted Dick, slumping down on the bed in a huff. Wally eyed him for a moment, evidently trying to tell if Dick was _actually _ticked-off or if he was faking it. He seemed decide it was the latter, (the right one actually, because Dick could _never_ stay mad at Wally for long) since he grinned brightly and tilted Dick's chin up so he was forced to look into those hypnotic green eyes.

"Actually, I'm not. You're still wearing the dress," Wally pointed out. "What are you wearing under that, actually? Surely not boxers, because it's too short for that. And I know you never wear briefs." Wally poked Dick's thigh; the boy blushed and tried to look away, foreseeing where this was heading.

"Well what do you expect? Black lace lingerie?" he snorted. He had _meant _that as a joke, but by the look on Wally's face, Dick suddenly wished he hadn't said anything.

"Why not find out?" whispered Wally, his voice dropping down half an octave as he pushed Dick backwards onto the bed, his warm hand on his chest. Dick went down unresisting, not quite realizing what his boyfriend was doing until the words actually sank in. Wally was hovering over him, his fingers on the black belt around Dick's slim waist, undoing it with exaggerated slowness. And suddenly Dick felt his pulse beating a tango in his chest, and he felt rather lightheaded as the blood rushed to his head.

The fact was; they'd never gone this far before. They'd had some pretty steamy make-out sessions, shirtlessly too once, but Wally's fingers had never strayed below the waist line. Of course they'd seen each other naked in the shower and changing rooms, even long before they'd started going out, but that was _different_. Dick snapped back to the present when he felt the comparatively cool air of the room brush against the bare skin of his hip making him shiver, and suddenly a wave of fear washed over him. Abruptly, instinct took over and Dick scrambled backwards at a speed Wally would have been proud of. Oh, Batman would be so disappointed in his temporary loss of control if he ever saw.

Heart pattering in his chest like a hamster on a wheel, and breaths coming much too fast to be normal, Dick fixed his gaze on the red duvet on which he sat, too afraid to look Wally in the eye. His fingers curled subconsciously around the half-opened belt at his waist.

"I-I um…" He bit his lip, racking his brain for the right words. "There are some things I'm not… not ready for either…" he whispered to the floor, so softly Wally almost didn't catch the words.

Dick jerked in surprise when two strong arms wrapped around him, pulling him flush against the speedster's body in a warm hug. Of all the things he'd expected, it hadn't been this. He would have thought Wally would be disappointed in him, because he was being a wimp and couldn't do the things Wally wanted to do with him yet. It made him feel vulnerable, like Wally deserved so much better… And instead Wally was nuzzling his nose into Dick's hair, his arms warm around Dick's chest where they held him.

"I'm so sorry, Dick! I should have asked, I got carried away, I'm really really sorry…" he was repeating into Dick's black hair, clutching him like a lifeline. Dick could tell from his voice; Wally was genuinely anguished by the fact that he'd gone too far- he wasn't just _saying _that to make him feel better… The younger of the two smiled and relaxed his stiff pose, leaning back into the firm chest of his boyfriend, eyes closing shut in contentment. No, Wally would never be disappointed in him. He'd never expect him to do something he wasn't ready for. He was too much of a sweet, compassionate guy to ever feel that way. Dick wondered for the hundredth time what he had ever done to deserve someone as perfect as Wally.

They stayed like that for a long moment, arms and legs and fingers wrapped around each other haphazardly, breathing in and out in sync… until finally Dick stirred, as if waking from sleep.

"…I have a pirated version of 'CoD Black Ops Two' with me…" he suggested in a murmur, leaving the unspoken question hanging in the still air around them. Wally laughed softly, and his warm breath ticked the back of Dick's neck.

"Is that even a question?" he retorted with a grin, green eyes sparkling. Abruptly, the tranquil atmosphere which had settled over them previous dissipated as they simultaneously leapt off the bed. Then they raced each other to the sofa, half-falling over the junk littering Wally's floor, and ended up on top of each other in a laughing mess. Wally rushed downstairs to steal a packet of gummy bears from the kitchen while Dick set up the video game with deft fingers. They bro-fisted each other when they plopped down on the cushions together, still laughing hysterically. And all this in less than a minute.

Yeah, this is why it's the greatest thing in the world to fall in love with your _best friend_.

**~x~**

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**Author's Note: **Ha, this chapter was fun to write. Hope you guys like it :3

**Please leave a review; I want to know what you think. Reviewers get a sample from Chapter 3!** And be sure to vote on the poll on my profile too if you haven't already. Oh, 'fore I forget, happy early **Halloween** to you! ^^

Guess what's next? Wally's parents ;)


	3. Maybe

_**Note: **__Just wanted to mention that I don't know much about Mary and Rudolph West's personalities, so this is just my interpretation of them. Sorry for any OOCness ^^; _

_Beta-ed by the lovely __**MistressOfRobins**__; thanks for being such a help… in more ways than one :3_

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**Ready – Part 3: "Maybe"**

**~x~**

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_{Central City, The West-Allen Home_

_May 25, 07:16 EDT}_

Dick woke to the sound of birdsong. As ironic as it may seem, hearing the robins heralding the rising of the sun each morning was his favorite wake up alarm. This was also one of the reasons why Dick loved sleeping in Wally's room; the trailing branches of a great oak tree near his house brushed up against the window pane, placing the inhabitants of the room in the perfect position to listen to their music. In the Wayne Manor, the walls were too thick to let in the sound, much to Dick's disappointment.

The boy sighed softly, letting himself slowly seep up into consciousness. He became aware of other things; such as the lavender scent of Iris's detergent which wafted up from the bed sheets, or the warmth that radiated out from Wally's arms which were currently encircling him from behind. Careful not to disturb his still-sleeping boyfriend, Dick took Wally's hand in his own, brushing the pads of his fingers over the freckled, slightly calloused skin. When one's boyfriend was a member of the Flash family, it was rare that one gets a chance to see him perfectly still. Even now, in his sleep, Wally's body buzzed faintly. It was a comforting feeling against Dick's back.

Giving in to some strange impulse, Dick lifted Wally's hand to his face and brushed his lips lightly over the speedster's fingers. Of course, Wally chose _that _exact moment to wake up, to Dick's red-faced embarrassment. The Boy Wonder set his Bat-taught skills to good use and stubbornly pretended to be asleep, but he knew he wasn't fooling Wally. Even though his back was to the speedster, he could practically _see_ Wally smiling. His gaze tickled the back of Dick's neck, and it took everything in his power not to turn around and look into those green eyes. However, when Wally pressed his wind-chapped lips to Dick's bare shoulder in a sleepy, chaste kiss, it made Dick's heart sing like the birds outside his window.

"Morning, Walls," he greeted, sliding with ease out of the loose grip his boyfriend had around his torso. He started to disentangle himself from the covers, using his feet to push them off.

Wally grumbled, closing his eyes tightly. "G' back to sleep, Dick, it's still the middle o' the night," he slurred in a sleep-laced voice. Dick smirked mischievously, the last traces of sleep already slipping off of him.

"Nope, it's past seven o'clock, wake up," he replied cheerfully without even consulting his watch, pushing the rest of the covers off of his body and sitting up cross-legged on the bed. Wally made grabbing motions for the retreating quilt and yanked it over his own head.

"S'not my fault you wanted to stay up till three in the morning playing Black Ops. Not everyone's an early birdie like you," came Wally's muffled voice, though it was already considerably more lucid than before. Dick just cackled lightly, and poked what he supposed was Wally's stomach through the covers.

"No. I'm sleepin'." Wally rolled around until he was firmly cocooned in the bed sheets, only a few strands of red hair to be seen. (His bare feet stuck out the bottom though because he was outgrowing his bed.) Dick rolled his eyes. Apparently, it was time for drastic getting-Wally-out-of-bed-measures. Too bad, but he had it coming.

Dick clambered on top of the older boy, straddling his shapeless form. With determined ruthlessness, Dick assaulted Wally's bare feet, pinning the speedster to the bed with his knees. He'd found out Wally was incredibly ticklish within the first few months of their friendship, and it was Dick's favored piece of blackmail. Or, in this case, one of his favored getting-Wally-out-of-bed-measures.

Meanwhile, Wally was squealing like a pig being slaughtered, and writhing so hard in his restrictive covers that Dick was having a hard time keeping from breaking down in laughter. Nevertheless, it was only a matter of time before Wally's next twist brought the two of them tumbling off the edge of the bed. Dick hit the floor hard with a surprised grunt, breaking his fall with a practiced roll. Wally was not so lucky, for the fact that he was still cocooned in the blankets and therefore had no room for movement. He fought his way out of the quilt, and when he was free he glared at Dick with his best impersonation of the Bat-glare.

"_Dude!_" Robin was, for once, caught off guard as Wally flew at him with that indignant shout, and pinned him to the floor, his vibrating fingers running up and down Dick's sides in revenge. They both were laughing hysterically within a few minutes, and wrestling each other by the foot of the bed. Only Dick noticed the door to Wally's room opening as Barry walked in, but he was giggling too hard to say anything.

"Whoa there tigers, keep your pants on," Barry chuckled, eyeing the teenagers with a raised eyebrow. The two looked at each other, taking in the fact that Wally was currently straddling a shirtless Dick (his shirt had come off during all the tickling) in nothing more than his Flash boxers, both of them with flushed cheeks and panting loudly with exertion… and they both blushed furiously.

Wally crawled off of his boyfriend to assume a more platonic position. "It's not what it looks like," he mumbled, glaring at Barry pointedly, while Dick tried (and failed) to hide an embarrassed grin. The older speedster just laughed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Actually, Wally, could I talk to you a minute?" Barry requested after a moment, tapping his fingers lightly against the doorframe. The redhead looked up, surprised, wondering what his uncle wanted to talk about. Alone, _without_ Dick, as he seemed to imply. A shiver of apprehension fluttered down his spine, and Wally's hyperactive brain started jumping to conclusions. What if Barry _didn't_ actually approve of their relationship? He had sounded perfectly fine with it last night, but what if he'd come to a different decision now that he'd thought about it some more? What if he was going to askWallyto_end_itwithDick? Whatif—

"Wally? Go on down; I was planning on taking a shower anyway," Dick interjected with a soft smile, giving the small of Wally's back a slight push. Obviously Barry wanted to talk to his nephew alone, and Dick knew intuitively when to get out of the way. Besides, he was sure Barry had some things to say after last night's revelations, he added, smirking to himself.

Wally followed his uncle obediently down the stairs, and then flopped down on the couch, trying to act nonchalant and not quite achieving it. Barry joined him a heartbeat later, and sent Wally a bright smile.

"Well kiddo, let me start by saying that I'm very happy for you – you _and_ Dick – for finally taking your friendship to the next level. Believe me, Iris, Bruce and I have been waiting for _ages_ for this to happen," Barry winked, then patted Wally's shoulder. "And I'm also so proud that you decided to trust us with your relationship; I know it must have been a hard decision. What I don't get is why you're looking so nervous now, because you know that I wholeheartedly support you, as does your aunt," the blond grinned.

"You… do? I mean, well—thanks, Uncle Barry," Wally stuttered, looking down into his lap and biting his lip to stop the grin from spilling all over his face.

"'Course I do. I know you care a lot about each other, always have, and he's as close as family to me. However—" here Barry drew out the last word, and Wally's first cringing thought was; _uh oh. Here comes the catch. _"However, there's just one thing I'd just like to… briefly address." Wally turned to glance expectantly at his uncle, who strangely enough was looking slightly embarrassed. Odd. Upstairs, they heard the sound of the shower being turned on.

"Well, ah… I think now is the time to have this conversation with you, because I know you and Dick…" Barry grinned sheepishly, and Wally started to get a sinking feeling in his stomach. This _couldn't possibly be_ what he thought it was going to be. No way. "Wally, I don't want this to be awkward for you, but there are some things you should know… and some things I can't leave for Iris to tell you. You're a speedster, as am I, and I know firsthand some of the problems you'll encounter… later on." Oh God. It _was_ what he thought it was. Wally hid his face in his hands to hide his reddening cheeks.

"I know you, Wally; you want what's best for Dick. I know you would never pressure him into anything he's not ready for, because you're considerate like that. But… it's hard sometimes, to hold yourself back I mean." Wally buried his face further into the darkness between his hands, but Barry continued without a pause. "We both know what it's like, being us… sometimes things just go _so_ _slow_, and it's hard to remember the normal human pace of things. Sometimes, when you're caught in the moment, it'll be hard to…to tell yourself to stop before you go do something you'll both regret. And Wally, don't forget the fact that you're almost seventeen, _and_ a hormonal teenager. You—"

"Uncle Barry!" Wally cut in, feeling rather scandalized. "You know I would _never_, I mean, I—" he groaned and rubbed his temple.

"I know, Kid. But it's just something to keep in mind, okay?" Barry patted Wally's shoulder again, his touch steady and comforting. "And… if there's anything at all you want to talk about, remember I'm –_we're_— always here for you," he added sincerely after a moment's hesitation, gesturing towards the kitchen where Iris had just entered. Wally felt that treacherous lump getting stuck in his throat again, just like he'd felt last night before the confession. When he wondered what he had ever done to deserve such an understanding aunt and uncle like this. The redhead didn't trust his voice to say anything, but he hoped the unsaid 'thank you' could be read in his glistening eyes which he turned to his uncle's.

"Well then," started Barry briskly, and Wally knew the dreaded conversation was over and done with, hopefully not to be repeated for a good many long years forth. "It's 'bout time for me to head out for work, so don't get into too much trouble. And make sure Dick's back at The Manor by this evening of Bruce'll have my head," the blond speedster called, turning into a blur as he packed his bag, shrugged on his coat, kissed Iris on the cheek, and shot out the door in a matter of minutes.

Wally drifted towards the kitchen bar, then plopped down heavily on the stool and watched his aunt with vague eyes as she bustled around, packing her purse. Iris glanced at him several times out of the corner of her eyes, but he sat _still_ for a _full _minute, apparently lost in thought. She made a mental note to ask Barry later what exactly he'd said to the poor kid, though she had a fairly good idea already. Sighing, Iris leaned across the counter in front of him, and tapped Wally's nose to get his attention.

"You're not having breakfast?" she asked in disbelief, once his green eyes had focused on hers again. Wally laughed lightly, propping his chin on interlocked fingers.

"Of course I am; I'm _starving," _the redhead replied, poking his abdomen. "But I'm just waiting for Dick to come down," he continued, smirking at Iris's surprised expression. _I'll __always__ wait for Dick, _he added silently to himself.

"Wow," his aunt grinned, flashing picture-perfect white teeth. "_You _are putting off _food _to wait for your _boyfriend. _Man, I can count on just one hand the number of times Barry has done that for me," she laughed good-naturedly. "Dick better appreciate it, is all I'm saying."

Wally suddenly felt two supple arms wrapping around his neck, and the scent of cinnamon shampoo flooded over him in a delicious wave.

"Oh, believe me Mrs. West, I _do _appreciate it," came the said boyfriend's voice in Wally's ear, the ebony's damp hair tickling his neck as he rested his chin on Wally's shoulder. Wally reached up a hand and threaded his fingers with Dick's, then turned his face to meet the soft lips over his shoulder. Natural. Perfect.

Of course, the telltale click of a camera broke the moment, and Wally jerked away to glare at his aunt. She was in the process of tucking away a tiny pocket-camera into her purse, and had put on a dreamily innocent expression.

"Aunt _I_…" Wally whined, pulling Dick around to sit in his lap, all the while making a half-hearted grab for Iris's purse. The reporter only let out a fond laugh, slinging it over her shoulder and out of reach.

"I will show this to your children, boys. And your children's children." She patted the purse on her hip, ignoring Wally's reddening cheeks and the impossibility of her statement. "You'll thank me one day," she said with an almost girlish giggle, and then slid out the door with a wave and a blown kiss, the sappy scene in the kitchen forever recorded and prized in her purse.

"…I'm starting to really regret telling them about us," Wally said after a long silent moment, staring blankly at the door. Dick laughed, filling up two bowls of cereal for them both.

"No, you don't." He pushed a bowl over towards Wally, leaning over the counter. "You _know _you don't. You _love _the attention." Wally stuck a spoon full of cereal into Dick's mouth to shut him up, mainly because he knew what Dick said was true, and he didn't want to admit it. Even if it meant getting The Talk from Barry, and having Iris fangirling over them at every opportunity, it warmed his heart to know that they cared. That he didn't have to hide such an important part of himself from them any longer. That they accepted and supported him, and wished him and Dick only the best.

"So… what do you want to do today?" asked Wally a few minutes later, licking his spoon. "You said, er, to Bruce…" he trailed off, remembering Dick's conversation with the Dark Knight a day ago when he'd convinced him to stay at Wally's for a sleepover. "With my parents, I mean…" Wally's gaze focused suddenly on Dick, taking in the V-neck tee shirt, the white scarf, the eyeliner, and the shorts. Short shorts. Girl shorts. Girl clothes... Wally frowned. "You little manipulative— I don't have a choice, do I?" he answered his own question, resigned.

Dick stared at him, dark blue eyes intense. "No, Walls, I mean… yeah, that was kind of the idea, but if you really don't want to we don't have to go. You _had_ agreed that we'd tell them eventually, so I just thought we could… get it over with? First your aunt and uncle, then your—You know what, it's fine. Let's not do it," he hastily finished, seeing Wally's rather panicked expression. But that was because Wally had just realized that they'd come up with this whole damn plot with the intention of _fooling_ his aunt and uncle, but he'd ended up spilling everything instead. Who was to say something similar wouldn't happen again with his parents? Wally gulped, but when he saw that all too familiar sliver of hurt flickering under Dick's gaze, he set his jaw in determination. He was being a chicken, and they both knew it. He _wanted _Dick to meet his parents, even if it wasn't really him they'd be seeing. He _wanted, _in some twisted way, to have their blessings. Well, maybe not blessings, but at least their permission. Because this thing with Dick? This was the _real_ thing. And he wanted to treat it as much like the real thing that he could, considering the circumstances.

"No. We're going. Come on," Wally clipped before his intention could waver, grabbing a surprised Dick's arm and practically dragging him towards the door. Besides, what was the worst that could happen?

* * *

_{Keystone City, The West Home_

_May 25, 08:16 EDT}_

Wally hadn't been home in several days, which didn't really give him any bonus points from his parent's point of view; his dad was usually extra irritable when Wally hadn't been home in a while. Well, there wasn't anything he could do about that now, so he'd just have to wing it. No backing down now.

He tightened his grip on Dick's slender fingers clasped in his, and raised his other hand to knock on the door. Whereas in Barry and Iris's house he wouldn't think twice about crashing through the house without bothering to announce his presence, here he felt compelled to at least knock beforehand. Fidgeting impatiently, Wally led the way inside, and waited for someone to come. He half hoped that his parents wouldn't be home, so he could get out of this easily, but deep down he knew he'd rather get this over with sooner rather than later.

"Hello? _Oh_—Wally…" Mary West's surprised voice, touched by a light Southern accent, came to them from the end of the hallway. Her eyes passed briefly over 'Rachel', flickered to Wally, and then fixed on a spot on the wall somewhere between them. "Come in, come in… I'm just making lunch…" she pointed out, waving a hand towards the kitchen as if to explain the scent of baking bread, then half-retreating back to it.

"Hey Mom," greeted Wally wearily, squeezing Dick's hand once for good measure. "Is uh… is Dad here?" Mary nodded and pointed to the living room, then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and disappeared, (rather rudely, Dick thought.)

The two teens made their way into the living room, where the flickering screen of the TV was the only source of light. On an impulse, Wally turned on the light switch, bathing the room in a slightly more friendly atmosphere. His gaze shifted uneasily over the scene, and he was relieved to see only one bottle of beer standing on the coffee table instead of a dozen, as was sometimes the case. There was a moment of awkward silence, where Rudolf West pointedly ignored Wally's presence and his attention stayed fixated on the screen, while Wally shifted from one foot to the other.

"Dad…?" Rudy tore his eyes reluctantly from the TV, glancing uninterestedly at them both.

"Ah… Wally. How nice of you to show up." The redhead gulped, wishing it hadn't been six days since he'd last stepped in this house. Who could blame him though? He had a perfectly usable room at his aunt's and uncle's place, another one at the Mountain, and plus Dick had a giant queen-sized bed, big enough to fit them both comfortably. Rudy raised a bushy eyebrow, as if asking Wally to continue. The redhead stayed rather tongue-tied, however, under his father's bored and irritated gaze.

"Good morning, Mr. West," greeted Dick instead, holding out a polite hand as he had been taught to do. No French 'bisou'-ing on the cheeks this time, like he'd done with Iris and Barry. Rudy eyed the hand for a moment, but surprised both of them by actually responding in kind. With this note of confidence, Wally regained use of his vocal chords.

"Yeah um, sorry. Work and stuff, got in the way, you know…" He coughed. Though his parents knew about the whole 'hero gig', he'd been forbidden to speak of it in his house. They found it unacceptable, and ridiculous, so Wally was careful never to mention anything about his _other_ life in their presence. "Dad, this is Rachel. She's my girlfriend…." Wally looked up to see that Mary had melted into a shadow by the door, listening in. Rudy just sighed through his nose, training a level stare at Wally and completely ignoring Dick's presence.

"So?"

"_So_?" Wally repeated, feeling the familiar frustration bubbling up under his skin, and trying hard not to let it show. "_So_, we've been going out for over a month, going _steady_, and I wanted you to meet hi-her. Besides, you never ask me anything about my life, don't you want to know _some _things?" He bit his tongue, afraid he was pushing it too far, but Rudy just snorted.

"Well, _congratulations._" The bitter sarcasm in his voice surprised Wally, and it took him a while to find a response, even with his high-speed brain.

"Excuse me?" Well, not much of a response at that.

"Look, son, do you honestly expect me to care? You know as well as I do that she's just another one in a long line. By the time I even learn her name, you'll have another girl or two hanging from your arm. Believe it or not, I was your age once, and I know what it's like. Maybe one day you'll grow out of it, but right now there is no such thing as 'going steady'."

Wally stared long and hard, feeling Dick tense up at his side. Rudy turned back to the television screen, apparently finding the conversation to be over.

"…Are you calling me a _slut_?" snarled Wally, his voice dropping dangerously low.

Rudy's eyes bored into his, the answer to that question obvious from his expression, and Wally clenched and unclenched his jaw, struggling with a reply. His father's calculating eyes turned to Dick, who was standing stiff as a board. "Maybe your little girlfriend is unaware of that fact? Well, sorry to break it to you, honey." His voice held no sympathy in it, and it made Wally's blood boil. He took an imperceptible breath; he'd dealt with this for years, he could deal with it now. _Just ignore him_.

"Though it wouldn't surprise me if you're just as bad as _he_ is," Rudy added, judgmental eyes raking up and down Dick's rather skimpily-clad form in a way which made Wally feel nauseous. He stepped forward, instinctively, to stand between his father and his boyfriend. Dick made a small sound of warning beside him, but Wally was not about to let _this_ go.

"Take that back," he ordered, glaring heatedly at his father. "Take that back, right now. You're _wrong. _I'm not a… not a _slut_ or whatever you think I am. And Di-Rachel sure as _hell _is not," he said, his voice harsh. Under other circumstances, he would never speak to his father like this. He knew it wasn't worth it. But with Dick by his side, boosting his self-confidence just by standing there silently, he turned reckless.

Rudy's mustache twitched, and he stood up to tower over his son. Wally wondered vaguely if he'd made a mistake… but he stood his ground. Rudy sent a nasty look over at Dick, as if he was well aware of Wally's last self-assuring thoughts.

"Since when are you allowed to speak to your father like that?"

"Since you start insulting my girlfriend!" snapped Wally right back. Rudy growled threateningly, an animalistic sound. Dick reached for the redhead's wrist, trying to tell him to step down, but Wally wasn't having any of that. He wrenched his hand free.

"Your girlfriend," Rudy repeated sardonically. "What, you think you're in love?" he sneered, spitting out the words like they were a bad taste in his mouth. Wally chanced a glance towards his mother, who was still standing silently in the corner by the door. He couldn't read her expression. "The only good that can come out of you having some female company is that you won't be hanging around with that circus freak as much," continued Rudy with a careless wave of his hand.

And that was the last straw.

"Will you just shut the _fuck _up!?" Wally exclaimed, slamming clenched fists down hard on the counter top. "I've had to deal with your insults my entire _fucking _life, and I've never once complained. I've sat here quietly and listened to you ruining my dreams, and throwing away everything that was dear to me, and bashing my aunt and uncle and my friends just because they actually _care_ about me. But, for God's sake, I'm not dealing with you insulting Dick any longer. I don't give a shit if you think he's a stereotypical gypsy or a circus freak or a charity case or whatever, because he's my fucking best friend _and _my boyfriend, and I'll be damned if anything you say changes that."

There was a moment of complete silence after Wally's outburst, where all he could hear was the blood pounding in his head and his own rather ragged breaths. The redhead felt oddly detached from the scene. He watched with a sort of wry amusement as first shock, and then horror crossed his father's face, his eyes widening and mouth dropping open comically as he registered Wally's words. _Boyfriend. _For once, Rudy seemed to have nothing to say. Wally's mother made some sort of upset gasping sound from the corner, and when he glanced at her he noticed her eyes fixed on Dick's face.

Speaking of Dick… Wally half turned, slightly fearful, only to find that Dick was staring right back at him with a surprising intensity, blue eyes brimming with an emotion Wally couldn't quite place. Pride, maybe. And mixed with a burning anger, but one which wasn't directed at Wally. He held his gaze for a long moment.

Rudy stirred then, as if surfacing from some dazed state of mind, and Wally flinched visibly from the disgust easily readable in his father's eyes. Wally met his mother's eyes, futilely searching for some support, but her troubled gaze slid away from his to fix on the floor.

"_You_," Rudy spat, glaring at Dick. "I should have known, should have known you would taint him." Dick crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow in silent challenge. Wally marveled at how his boyfriend could keep his cool in a situation like this. "Just… just get out, both of you…" Rudy snarled, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides, as if he very much wanted to hit something.

"Gladly," cut in Dick smoothly, stepping forward, and Wally felt an unfounded sense of relief wash over him to see Dick taking control. "We'll gladly leave. And don't for a moment think that your son will ever set foot in this house again, Mr. West." It was kind of ironic how, even _now_, Dick still kept up the formalities by calling Rudolph by his surname.

Without waiting for either of them to reply, Dick's slender fingers gripped Wally's wrist securely, and whisked him out of the room, not pausing until the front door had slammed shut behind them, a sound of finality. Wally, suddenly feeling weak in the knees, collapsed against the white railing which led down the stairs from his house, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand.

"Wally…" Dick touched the redhead's cheek softly with his fingertips, but he didn't look up, and presently Dick's hand fell away from his face. There was a moment of contemplative silence, where Wally tried to keep his raging emotions under the surface, and while Dick watched him with a heavy expression. The Boy Wonder knew when to press things, and when to leave Wally alone. And right now, he knew he had to let Wally get a hold of his feelings by himself.

It only took another minute before Wally heaved a deep sigh, rubbed at his eyes roughly with his knuckles, and then looked up to meet Dick's eyes. Dick reached forward and tenderly brushed away the tears that Wally steadfastly refused to let fall.

"Wally. I'm not ever letting you go back there," he said quietly, trailing his fingers over Wally's lips, pressing back the protest he knew would come. "I know you love them, even after all they've done to you. But you know they won't ever change. They won't ever accept you," Dick continued. He could feel anger start to build up in him again, but he pushed it away. Now was not the time to be angry.

"But… I can't… they're my parents," Wally whispered, his voice catching on the last word.

"They don't _deserve _you, Wally, and they never will."

Wally blinked, staring up at his boyfriend, registering Dick's resolute tone. And maybe, Wally started to wonder, just maybe Dick was right. What kind of parents refused to love their own son just because they couldn't accept that he was different from them? What kind of parents went out of their way to make his life harder than it already was? All those things he had said, when he'd yelled at his father, he'd refused to let himself think them up until now. He'd told himself that they were his _parents_, they just wanted what was best for him, maybe they just didn't understand. He'd loved them for _six_teen whole years, and had tricked himself into believing that deep down they loved him too. But after what had happened today…

He nodded then, mutely, a defeated look darkening his green eyes. Dick sent him a small, encouraging smile, and Wally tried to smile back, though it wasn't more than a weak twitch of his lips. The ebony twined his fingers with Wally's and pulled him gently away from the railing, down the stairs, and to the sidewalk where the familiar black and red R-Cycle gleamed.

Driving back to his aunt and uncle's house – his _home_, he corrected himself– with his arms wrapped tightly around Dick's comforting form while letting the steady vibrations of the motorcycle sooth his mind, Wally finally let the hot tears which had threatened for so long run down his cheeks, unashamed.

**~x~**

* * *

_**Author's Note: **__Hope you liked it! Please leave a __**review**__. (And vote on my poll too…) One more chapter to go—Wally's school friends and The Team ;D_


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